Schwarzer rejects Boro offer

Saturday 6 January 2007 00:07 BST

Mark Schwarzer's advisers have revealed he has rejected Middlesbrough's offer of a new deal.

The 34-year-old hit out over the way Boro conduct their contract negotiations after seeing Mark Viduka head for Newcastle following a delay in starting talks, but his comments drew a terse response from the Teessiders, who insisted they would conduct their negotiations in private.

Schwarzer's agent, Shep Messing, managing director of Global Sport Group, said: "Middlesbrough Football Club asked what Mark wanted and we confirmed his wish to remain at the club. We put forward a sensible and fair proposition for both player and club. We have received a proposal from the club and at this point, we have been unable to agree on terms."

Schwarzer, who is currently away on Asian Cup duty with Australia, joined Boro in a £1.5million switch from Bradford in February 1997.

He has made 407 appearances for the club and has been first choice for Bryan Robson, the man who bought him, Steve McClaren and current boss Gareth Southgate.

The former Kaiserslautern player was in goal when Boro claimed their first major trophy, the 2004 Carling Cup, and his late penalty save from Robbie Fowler earned Boro their first qualification for Europe via the Barclays Premier League the following season.

Southgate tried desperately to persuade Viduka to stay at the Riverside Stadium a year after releasing Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, but ultimately lost his leading goalscorer after admitting the club had possibly left it late to open negotiations.

Messing is making sure the matter is on the agenda at an early stage, and has wasted little time in setting out his case.

He said: "He (Schwarzer) has spent over a decade at Boro and loyalty like that is very rare in football. Mark is one of the best and most experienced goalkeepers in the world.

"He is on top of his game and enjoying the game more than ever. Wherever he plays, Mark has many more great years ahead of him."